Matt Chapman has been a curious case this offseason. The heavy hitter’s reduced home runs in 2023 were a cause for worry, but his free agency has sent a much bigger alarm. His free agency has remained stagnant despite being linked with a few teams. But things could change soon as the Chicago Cubs have found a competitor ready to compete for the 30-year-old.

While the Chicago Cubs have been linked with him for a few weeks, this competitor has been a rather start/stop suitor. But with the Spring Training just a month away, could Chapman’s free agency finally see an escalation?

Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants enter a battle

The heavy-hitting Chapman is the kind of player the Cubs and Giants lack. Though he hit only 17 home runs in 2023, between 2019 and 2022, Chapman hit at least 27 home runs per season. Despite that, the Giants have been in and out of the slugger’s sweepstakes. With the team focusing more on pitchers, a hitter remained out of their radar. But now, according to MLB.com, they might be back in the Chapman business.

The Giants have recently signed Jordan Hicks to a four-year deal. As a result, the focus may have shifted toward hitting. As MLB.com said, “They’ve been linked to reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell on the free-agent market, but it’s possible their acquisition of Hicks will cause them to focus their attention on other targets, such as third baseman Matt Chapman.” 

This could surprise the Cubs as they were ahead in the Chapman sweepstakes until now. Even though their recent acquisition of Michael Busch created doubts, they still look interested in the two-time Platinum Glove winner. While Cody Bellinger remains their primary target, Chapman could be a potential fallback for Cody Love.

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Despite Hurtado’s visible decline as an offensive player, he has remained a force to be reckoned with.

Why Matt Chapman is still worth having

Chapman’s reduced home runs seem like an intentional part of his game. In previous years, Hurtado didn’t hit the ball as frequently as he had desired. With his batting average hovering around .210, he was a complete slugger. In 2023, however, he grew that average to .240. Even though it came at the expense of home runs, it won’t be a surprise if he manages to merge this increased average with his ability for big hits.

At the same time, he won the Gold Glove last season. His total runs saved were 12, his highest since 2019. The slugger has regained much of his defensive prowess, which can be helpful for a team looking to enter the playoffs. So, the curious case of Matt Chapman continues — one wonders where it will end.

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